10248. 'And it shall be the statute of an age to them' means an eternal law of order. This is clear from the meaning of 'a statute' as a law of order, dealt with in 7884, 7995, 8357; and from the meaning of 'an age' as that which is eternal. The reason why 'an age' means what is eternal is that duration even to the end should be understood by it, and in the internal sense what is eternal is meant by that duration. Furthermore the word used to denote an age means eternity in the original language. 'Age' means what is eternal because when used in the Word with regard to the Church it means duration of it even to the end. Consequently, when the term is used with regard to heaven, where there is no end, or with regard to the Lord, it means what is eternal. The term may be used to refer in general to any Church, but in particular to the celestial Church. In addition to all this 'age' means the world and life there, and also life after this to eternity.

[2] 1. The term 'age', when used with regard to the Church, means the duration of it even to the end

This is clear from the following places: In Matthew,

The disciples said to Jesus, Tell us, what will be the sign of Your coming and of the close of the age? Matthew 24:3.

'The close of the age' means the final period of the Church, thus the end of it, when there is no longer any faith because there is no charity. The fact that this is meant by 'the close of the age' and that 'the age' therefore means the duration of the Church even to the end becomes clear from all the things stated by the Lord in that chapter, an explanation of which may be seen in the opening sections of Chapters 26-40 of Genesis. 'The age' and 'the close' of it have the same meaning elsewhere in the same gospel,

The harvest is the close of the age. Matthew 13:39-40, 49.

Also,

Behold, I am with you at all times ¹ even to the close of the age. Matthew 28:20.

Here also 'the age' is used to mean the duration of the Church from start to finish.

[3] In Ezekiel,

They will dwell on the land, they and their sons and their sons' sons even to an age. David will be their prince for an age. My sanctuary will be in their midst for an age. Ezekiel 37:25, 28.

These promises refer to Israel, who in the internal sense serves to mean the spiritual Church. 'The land' on which they will dwell also means the Church; 'the sanctuary' means everything composing the Church; and 'David' means the Lord. From this it is evident that 'for an age' means even to the end.

'Israel' in the Word is the spiritual Church, see in the places referred to in 9340.

'The land' is the Church, in the places referred to in 9325.

'The sanctuary' is everything composing the Church, and it has reference to the goodness and truth of the spiritual Church, 8330, 9479.

'David' is the Lord, 1888, 9954.

[4] In David,

Before the mountains were born, and the earth and the world were formed, from age even to age You are God. Psalms 90:2.

By the birth of mountains and formation of the earth and the world not the creation of the world but the establishment of a Church should be understood, for in the Word heavenly or celestial love, and so the Church in which that love exists, is meant by 'the mountains'. 'The earth' too and 'the world' mean the Church, so that 'from age to age' means from when Churches are established to when they come to an end. Churches follow in succession, one after another; for when one has come to an end or undergone vastation another is established.

'Mountain' means heavenly or celestial love, and therefore the Church which is governed by that love, see 795, 796, 4210, 6435, 8758.

'The earth' is the Church in particular, but 'the world' the Church in general, see in the places referred to in 9325.

[5] 2. The term 'age', when used with regard to heaven, where there is no end, or with regard to the Lord, means what is eternal

This is clear from the following places: In David,

Jehovah is King for an age and for perpetuity. Psalms 10:16; Exodus 15:18.

In the same author,

Your kingdom is a kingdom of all the ages, and Your dominion to every generation after generation. Psalms 145:13.

In Jeremiah,

[He is] the living God [and] the King of the age. Jeremiah 10:10.

In Daniel,

His dominion is the dominion of an age which will not pass away. Afterwards the saints of the Most High ² will receive the kingdom and will strengthen the kingdom even to an age, and even to ages of ages. Daniel 7:14, 18, 27.

In Matthew,

Yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory for ages. Matthew 6:13.

In Luke,

God will give Him the throne of David, so that He may reign over the house of Jacob for ages. Luke 1:32-33.

[6] In the Book of Revelation,

To Jesus Christ be glory and might for ages of ages. Revelation 1:6.

Elsewhere in the same book,

Behold, I live for ages of ages. Revelation 1:18.

And elsewhere again,

Blessing, and honour, and glory, and might to the Lamb for ages of ages! The twenty-four elders worshipped the One living for ages of ages. Revelation 5:13-14; 10:6; 11:15.

In Isaiah,

My salvation will exist for an age, and My righteousness to each generation ³ . Isaiah 51:6, 8.

In the same prophet,

The angel of [His] face carried them all the days of the age. Isaiah 63:9.

In Daniel,

Many of those sleeping will awake to the life of the age ⁴ , the rest to the disrepute of the age ⁵ . Daniel 12:2.

In John,

If anyone eats of this bread he will live for an age. John 6:51, 58.

In the same gospel,

I give them eternal life, and they will not perish for an age. John 10:28.

In David,

Lead me in the way of the age ⁶ . Psalms 139:24.

In the same author,

He has caused them to stand for perpetuity and for an age; He has given a statute that will not pass away. Psalms 148:6.

[7] In these places 'age' means what is eternal since it is used with regard to the Lord, to His kingdom, and to heaven and the life there, all of which have no end. 'Ages of ages' is not used to mean eternities of eternities but that which is eternal. That expression is used however with regard to the Churches on earth coming in succession one after another. From the Word it is evident that a Church has been established four times on this planet. The first of them was the Most Ancient, which existed before the Flood; the second was the Ancient, which came after the Flood; the third was the Israelite and Jewish; and the last was the Christian. The whole period of each one from start to finish is an age. And after the Christian Church a new one will begin. This series of Churches is meant by 'ages of ages', 'an age' being the duration of a Church even to its end, as shown above.

[8] 3. The term 'age' may be used to refer in general to any Church, but in particular to the celestial Church

This is clear from the following places: In Amos,

I will raise up the tent of David that is fallen down, and I will build as in the days of a [previous] age. Amos 9:11.

'The days of a [previous] age' is used to mean the time when the Most Ancient Church, which was celestial, existed. In Micah,

Bethlehem Ephrath, from you will come forth for Me one who will be Ruler in Israel, and whose origins are from of old, from the days of a [previous] age. Micah 5:2.

Here the meaning is similar. In Moses,

Remember the days of a [previous] age, understand the years of generation after generation. Deuteronomy 32:7.

'The days of a [previous] age' stands for the time of the Most Ancient Church, which was a celestial Church, and 'the years of generation after generation' for the time of the Ancient Church, which was a spiritual Church.

[9] In Isaiah,

Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of Jehovah. Awake as in the days of antiquity, of the generation of [previous] ages. Isaiah 51:8-9.

'As in [the days] of the generation of [previous] ages' means as it was with the states of love and faith in the Ancient Churches that descended from the Most Ancient. In David,

I have considered the days of old, the years of [previous] ages. Psalms 77:5.

Here the meaning is similar.

[10] In Isaiah,

Remember from a [previous] age the former thing. Isaiah 46:9.

In Malachi,

Then the minchah of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to Jehovah, as in the days of a [previous] age, and as in ancient years. Malachi 3:4.

In Joel,

Judah will abide for an age, and Jerusalem from generation to generation. Joel 3:20.

In these places 'Judah' means the celestial Church, to which the words 'as in the days of the age' and 'into the age' therefore refer, while 'Jerusalem' means the spiritual Church, to which the words 'as in the ancient years' and 'into generation after generation' refer.

'Judah' is the celestial Church, see 3654, 3881, 6363, 8770.

'Jerusalem' is the spiritual Church, 402, 3654.

[11] 4. The term 'age' may mean the world and life there

This is clear in Matthew,

The one who is sown among thorns is he who hears the Word but the cares of this age and the deceitfulness of riches choke the Word. Matthew 13:22.

In Luke,

The sons of this age are more shrewd than the sons of light. Luke 16:8.

In the same gospel,

The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage. Luke 20:34.

And in David,

The wicked and carefree ones of the age multiply wealth. Psalms 73:12.

[12] 5. The term 'age' may mean life to eternity after death

In Mark,

... will receive a hundredfold, now in this time, and in the age to come eternal life. Mark 10:30.

In Ezekiel,

When I will cause you to go down with those going down to the pit, to the people of a [previous] age, ... Ezekiel 26:20.

And elsewhere, as in Luke 18:30; 20:35; Isaiah 34:10, 17; Revelation 14:11; 20:10; 22:5.

Poznámky pod čarou:

9338. 'And inherit the land' means when governed by good, thus when regenerated. This is clear from the meaning of 'inheriting' as receiving as an heir, dealt with below; and from the meaning of 'the land', at this point the land of Canaan, as the Lord's kingdom, thus heaven, dealt with in 1413, 1437, 1607, 1866, 3038, 3481, 3705, 3686, 4240, 4447, so that 'inheriting the land' means receiving heaven as an heir to it. The proper way to understand the word 'heir', when used in reference to heaven, is a person who has life from the Lord, 2658, 2851, 3672, 7212, thus who is governed by good received from the Lord, who therefore has been regenerated. The fact that a person is in heaven, and so has been regenerated, when he is governed by good received from the Lord, see 9274 and the places referred to there.

[2] The fact that 'inheriting' has this meaning, when used in reference to heaven, is evident in Matthew,

Then the King will say to those who are at His right hand, Come, O blessed of My Father, possess as an inheritance the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave Me food, I was thirsty and you gave Me drink. Insofar as you did it to one of the least of these My brothers you did it to Me. Matthew 25:34-35, 40.

'Possessing as an inheritance the Lord's kingdom (or heaven)' is said here in regard to those governed by good; and the actual forms of the good of charity in their proper order are also enumerated. Finally it is said, 'Insofar as you did it to one of the least of these My brothers you did it to Me'. People are called the Lord's brothers if they are governed by good, 6756, thus also if they practise good; for good is the Lord present with a person. And this is why it says, 'Insofar as you did it to one of [the least of] these My brothers' (not simply 'brothers').

[3] In Revelation,

He who overcomes will receive all things by inheritance, and I will be his God and he will be My son. Revelation 21:7.

It says here of those who overcome that they will receive all things by inheritance; and because they are heirs they are called 'sons'. 'Overcoming' means using good and truth to fight with, for evil is overcome by means of good, and falsity by means of truth.

[4] In David,

God will save Zion and will build the cities of Judah; and they will dwell there and possess it by inheritance; and the seed of His servants will inherit it, and those loving His name will dwell in it. Psalms 69:35-36.

Here 'possessing by inheritance' has regard to those governed by celestial good, and 'inheriting' to those governed by spiritual good. Celestial good is the good of love to the Lord, and spiritual good is the good of charity towards the neighbour, 9277. In Isaiah,

He who trusts in Me will inherit the land, and will possess by inheritance My holy mountain. Isaiah 57:13.

[5] From all this it is evident what was meant by the division of the land of Canaan into twelve inheritances for the twelve tribes of Israel, in Chapters 14-19 of Joshua, and in Chapter 47:13-end and Chapter 48 of Ezekiel. For 'the land of Canaan' meant the Lord's kingdom, or heaven, 1413, 1437, 1607, 1866, 3038, 3481, 3686, 3705, 4240, 4447, and 'the twelve tribes' meant all forms of good and all truths in general and in particular, 3858, 3862, 3926, 3939, 4060, 6335, 6337, 6397, 6640. 'Twelve inheritances' accordingly meant heaven with all its heavens and communities, which divide off one from the next on the basis of forms of the good of love and consequently of truths of faith, 7836, 7891, 7996, so that in the abstract sense [without reference to persons] those inheritances mean forms of good themselves which originate in the Lord and therefore are the Lord in heaven.

[6] For heaven is nothing other than Divine Truth emanating from the Lord's Divine Good. The angels there are recipients of truth in good; and in the measure that they receive it they constitute heaven. Also - and this is an arcanum - the Lord dwells with an angel, and similarly with man, only in that which is His own with the angel or man; for the Divine must dwell in what is of God, not in what is of the self with anyone. This is meant by the Lord's words regarding His union with those governed by the good of love, in John,

On that day you will know that I am in the Father, and you in Me, and I in you. He who loves Me keeps My word, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. John 14:20, 23.

And elsewhere in the same gospel,

The glory which You have given Me I have given to them that they may be one even as We are one, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them. John 17:22, 26.